Tombstone drove to the abandoned lot, parking his car. Making sure no cameras were operational, he turned off his vehicle, placed on some gloves, and opened the glove box, taking out the small, unregistered magnum. Under normal circumstances, he would've had his security detail trail him, but on the off chance the Green Goblin wasn't bluffing on the drive, he couldn't take the chance. And it would improper of him to not personally see the mad man's downfall.

He stepped out of the vehicle, closing the door behind him as he marched to the factory. "Heya Tomby." He saw Spider-Man swinging by, landing on a nearby lamppost. "Rare to see you up and about. No guards in tow?"

"It was made clear that this was a private gathering." He spoke glibly, keeping his eyes focused.

"Ah, Gobby told you about the secret prize at the end of the maze." The masked hero inquired, swinging above him.

"Something like that." The man agreed.

"Trap?"

"Trap." At least the child had common sense. "Your associates?"

"Ninja leave no trace."

"I'm inclined to believe the same about our enemy."

"So we both agree Gobby's got to go tonight?" Spider-man questioned.

"If camera footage of a certain accident was obtained, I'm sure it'd go missing in the chaos." Favors were always meant to be repaid. "And I could say the same about a theoretical flash drive?"

"Let's see where the night takes us. There's just far too many possibilities to know for sure." Spider-man spoke, approaching the door, to which Tombstone easily broke through with a kick. "And to think you weren't one for showmanship."

"I'm still not. Sometimes, the direct method is simply the best one." Like crushing skulls with a squeeze of a hand.

Hammerhead growled, looking down at the boiling metal. It was the only thing stopping him from busting out and taking down that Goblin freak once and for all. Now because he was taken, The Big Man was in danger… Well, not so much in danger as inconvenienced, but when it came to the big man, the smallest slip ups lead to the biggest consequences. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I go through all the trouble of costume made fireworks, and they still arrive late." The freak's voiced echoed through the factory. "I knew I should've made it more obvious. Planted a big sign in the air that said 'Gobby is here'. That would've gotten their attention.."

"You planned this at the edge of town and you didn't think that they'd be anywhere in the city when they got the message?" Hammerhead snarked.

"To be fair, part of this whole scheme depends on how valuable your boss believes you to be. There's always the chance he won't do so… in which case you'll go from Hammerhead to lead foot… and chest … and lungs, and everything else in between."

Of course, that's how it was. "Man Gobby, I can't believe how much of a hypocrite you are." He saw that masked web head swing in, landing on a nearby pipeline. "You say we can't bring guests but you have one of your own? If you're gonna be a crazy person you could at least be a fair one."

"But Spidey, you and ole Tomby are the guests of honor! As if I would ever deprive either of you of my undivided attention!" This was why he hated working with freakshows. None of them knew when to shut up.

"Hammerhead." He turned and saw the Big Man himself walk in with a glare. "If what Goblin said is true about the flash drive, we need to have a long talk when this is over."

Flash what now? "What flash drive?"

"Both hypocrisy AND lying? That's two for two on your 'comically evil villain' checklist." The hero quipped.

"Oh, like we ALL didn't know this was one big trap." The green freak cackled loudly as vats of the molten metal began making their way towards the bug and his boss. "Welcome to the Goblin's house of horrors! Or more accurately." The molten metal spilled all over the place. "The refinery of revulsion!"

"In any other situation I'd charge you for the ride Tomby!" The masked man grabbed onto Tombstone, swinging around as they came closer to Hammerhead, only for the Green Goblin to send a razor disk right at the Spider's web. "And I'd charge you for damage to my personal items!"

"Oh, is there a break three kill two special!?" The Goblin shouted as he flew straight at the web slinger with a blade on his glider. "Spidey, you drive a hard bargain, but I am sold!" The metal began inching its way closer to Hammerhead as it began to fill the room. "Thank your for making this the hottest party on Halloween night!" He stuck out his fingers, likeying trying to zap the bug and his boss with that taser attack.

"Then how about a little cooldown!" A blur of green and blue dashed across the ceiling as one of those turtle freaks slammed their foot into the goblin.

"Well, it seems I'm not the only liar tonight, am I?" The Goblin asked as Hammerhead was cut down, only to be caught by that orange turtle. "You didn't RSVP!"

"What can we say, we love crashing parties." The Red turtle said as they tried to land on that glider, only to be punched off the vehicle and onto a small ledge. "Although this one really stink!"

"Luckily for me, I managed to scrape up enough party favors after all!" With a press of a button, the roof opened up … as waves and waves of pumpkin bombs fell, all beeping. "Pumpkins for everyone this Halloween!"

"Ah, either play hot potato or the floor is lava, you can't play both!" The orange one swung him over to the Big man, catching him by the ledge. "One supervillain prepacked and hand delivered."

"Okay, how about this game?" They asked, raising their fingers. "Pin the laser on the turtle!" The madman blasted the orange, who was forced to move quickly as the bombs began to go off.

GAAH GAAH GAAH

"I think you overprepared Gobby, there's not enough room for all of us in here, how about an outside bash!?" Spider-Man shouted, throwing a web line onto the Goblin and swinging them through a window. "Alright boys, I believe it's past your curfew, so I suggest you vamoosh before the party REALLY starts going crazy."

Hammerhead was thrown over to Tombstone near the entrance. "Play nice, or we'll kick your sorry butts before you know what hit you!" The red turtle shouted as they all evacuated the exploding building.

GAAH GAAH GAAH

He could feel flames along his back as they ran out, the glass shattering behind them. He took a deep breath and turned to his boss. "Are you alright sir?"

"I'm fine." The big man got up and whipped himself off as if he merely tripped over a rock. "There's still the matter of you getting kidnapped in the first place. Expect a paid reduction until you can rectify this blunder."

"Of course sir." He accepted the punishment. "... What was that about a flash drive?"

"The Goblin said you had dirt on me, I had to see it through." … And he believed it? After all these years of service … the Big Man still thought he'd betray him? … He didn't know how to take that.

The Green Goblin clicked his heels as his special little glider followed after him. "Spidey, if you wanted to get some air you should have just said so." They pulled out a special little bomb and tossed it. "I have plenty of chemicals for you to breathe in!"

"Gobby, I've smelled your deodorant already, it's not going to sell in stores!" The spider swung through air, avoiding them. "You can hear all the screaming every time someone gets a whiff of it!"

"Oh shoot, I guess I'll have to go with my next big invention." Once in range, they pressed a little button that expelled the green muck on the hero freezing their arms. "I call it Gob Webs. Not only is it physically superior to your own webs, but once you die I don't have to worry about copyright infringement!" A little test of a product mid battle never hurt anyone … well, it never hurt him personally.

"Oh, you packed some silly string! Thanks, I was running out!" The orange turtle Michelangelo jumped to land a blow, but was whacked away as they swung the incapacitated Spider-man at him like a wrecking ball.

"Now now children, there's plenty for everyone! Line up and take you're beatings like good little turtles!" He shot another one at an incoming Rapheal, pinning them to the roof. "Hmm, it seems the webs hold up against the turtles … lets see how it handles a thirty story drop!" They began flying up.

"You know, maybe you wouldn't need to resort to supervillainy if you just gave people rides. You know how much money uber drivers make? Imagine an uber flier." The hero quipped as they struggled to break free.

"Sounds good, but you have such clingy clientele." He smirked, dropping the spider. "And they're such horrible tippers!"

"Oh yeah, here's a tip for yah! Never quip and fly unless you can watch your back!" Donetelloe came up and whacked him across the back, placing his staff around his chest.

"When your back's as hard as mine, do you really need to?" He grabbed the staff, sending a goblin zap straight through the wood and into the turtle's arms, before backing his head into their face.

"You do with a face as punchable as that one!" Raphael tried to stab him, only for Goblin to block his hand, pulling out a batarang.

"Aww, and I tried so hard with my makeup this morning." They swung forward, cutting the turtle's arm and punching them off his glider. Remember, keep the aerial advantage. Only Spider-Man can reach you if you're high enough, and he's busy recovering from that fall. "Why don't you all just give up!?"

"That's…that's never going to happen…Gobby!" Spider-man shouted, cracking his neck as he shrugged off the pieces of his Gobweb. "Espeically when it's all going to end tonight! I know you're secret! I know who's behind the mask!"

"We all wear masks, little spider. But is it the one you wear on your face, or the one that is your face?!" Play it glib, don't give them a single hint that they might be right.

"The one you wear obviously!" Michelangelo shouted, throwing ninja stars at the glider. "Isn't that right, Norman Osborn!?"

They knew … time to play a guessing game. "Oh sorry to say, my real name's actually Rumplestiltskin, here's the penalty!" Fly in closer, throw some bombs. When one of them jumped on you, fake a crash.

"Oh I'm sorry, I think this party favor clashes with my eyes, why don't you have a closer look!" Spidey created a web shield, bouncing the bombs he threw… and right at his face.

"Oh dear.."

GAH! GAH! GAH!

"WAAAAAAGH!" He tumbled into the ground, not expecting to go face first into his own bombs. He wasn't too physically affected, but the shock was still enough to make him fumble.

Slam

Along with the crash, sending him falling straight into the ground. Luckily, it was genuine enough to fake an injury, let's go … broken leg, that was the easiest to believe, just needed to limp. The problem then was making it to his glider and flying away while they followed. "It seems this Halloween was a bust, I should probably take my leave."

"Guys, get him now, this is our chance!" Leonardo commenced as the turtles began surrounding him.

"Booyakasha!" Michelangelo swung around those chucks as the goblin send a zap right into his chest, followed by Raphael throwing in a few punches to the left while he was distracted, and Donatello tripping his 'good leg'. It was a shame being such a good actor sometimes, normally he would just laugh at the idea of these imbeciles believing they could get the best of him.

He gripped the ground, spinning his foot around as he kicked the two turtles, moving back onto his good leg, only to be cut along the chest by Leonardo, the metallic armor underneath his suit being the only thing that kept him from being brutally wounded. "Wow, heroes out for blood, and here I thought you didn't have the guts."

"You can take it Gobby, we know you can."

"Then I hope there's now hard feelings for this!" He grabbed the turtles by the arm and sent full voltage from BOTH gloves.

"AAGGGGH!"

"LEO!"

"No need to thank me for the fried turtle! It's a special goblin family recipe I've been saving up!" Gobby gripped onto his glider from below and let it fly, selling the idea he was still too weak to stand on both legs. "I'll be sure to serve up some Spider-alamo the next time I throw a shindig!

A web was launched at his side, as the Spider swung in. "Not this time Norman!" And received a very powerful punch to the face. Someone seemed to stop holding back. "There's no more running, we know where you hide!"

"Good luck with that fake guess!" With a small zap, clearly losing it's charge from all the fighting, he finally ditched Spider-Man. Now, all he needed now was a scapegoat … someone to pin the broken leg and mask onto … but who?

"Come on Harry, pick up." Mary Jane listened to Gwen muttered, before groaning. "Great, first I can't find Harry, then Peter ditches us … again." She looked really down in the dumps in MJ's opinion. "What is it with guys and never sticking around when you need them?"

"Don't know, I'm usually the one who leaves first." Mary Jane shrugged. "Then again when it comes to people like Flash, you kinda wonder if you want them to stick around in the first place."

"Go Midtown!" The cheerleader pyramid shouted. "You've got it in the baaaaag!" The team tumbled over each other. "...Oh I am SO pounding Osborn for this. He was supposed to be on top, not Kenny!"

"We even got Hobbie to join in." Kong complained.

"It was under extreme duress and bribery." The boy admitted.

"Is it weird that seeing the entire football team honoring the bet of one guy on the team makes me feel they're less jerkish than I thought?" April asked, taking a bit of a caramel apple. "Like, I know they're jerks, but… there's like… comradery here."

"Wolves run with their own and protect their pack." That Irma girl that Mary Jane couldn't for the life of her get a good read on shrugged. "It's a testament to the social climate of highschoolers, where cliques are both supportive/inclusive and degrading/exclusive at the same time, much like people of different political parties."

"Aren't you a fun one?" MJ chuckled. "Eh, I've seen boys here and now. Some of them act nice with a wicked side, some of them act mean with a pretty side. In the end, it all comes down to what they do when it counts."

"Like doing stuff for cash when a friend needs it." She turned and saw that Eddie guy from the school dance walking over. "Hey gals."

"Hey Eddie." Gwen waved. "Sorry I forgot to invite, I was just really worried about Harry and Peter, the former is going through a lot right now …"

"And the latter's unavailable, like usual." The big blonde guy rolled his eyes. "What else is new?" She'd call them out for being too harsh, but that would mean telling them Peter was Spider-man, and Mary Jane had a feeling the boy wouldn't be too inclined for that little tidbit to be revealed.

"I think he left with his new friends for some other party. Haven't seen heads or tails of the turtles." Irma said, looking around and turning to April. "How come you never introduced me before?"

"They've just…like keeping to themselves a lot. Can't just bring whoever I want to their house. Their dad can be pretty strict….in a good way though, not like Harry's dad."

"Stormin Normin hasn't changed a bit, has he?" Eddie asked.

"I'm sorry, stormin Normin?" MJ questioned.

"It is what we call Mr. Osborn, since every time he walks into a room, it feels like a storm is going to barge in and demolish everything."

"Yeowch." She winced. "I'm surprised Harry hasn't run away yet."

"Harry wouldn't … would he?" Gwen asked. "Is that why he's not answering?" Someone clearly needed to relax.

"I'm sure Harry's gonna be alright. 'Side's, it's Halloween. A night where we're all just supposed to kick back and enjoy the madness that sums up life." Mary Jane smirked. "Just imagine what kind of crazy costumes you can see along the street."

"Look mommy!" A little girl shouted. "It's Spider-Man!" They all looked up and saw the masked boy himself swing overhead at an impressive speed.

"Wow, what an impressive stunt show." One of the adults spoke out. "These halloween parties really go all out."

"They really do." April grinned as they moved away. "It's nice, knowing that no matter what, someone's out there looking out for all of us down here."

"You've got a point." Eddie grinned. "You can always count on Spider-Man for some help."

"Ain't that the truth." Funny how they were all so quick to dunk on Peter but so quick to support Spider-man. Maybe that's why the guy was so quick to put on the mask all the time. Who wouldn't want to live a life where people loved you no matter what?

Peter ran across the rooftops, furiously determined. "You feeling any better Leo?" He asked the semi fried turtle as they slowly reached the penthouse the cause of this entire night resided at.

"I'm going to feel much better when I rip that stupid rubber mask off the bastard's head." The blue turtle grumbled as they scaled the walls. "He may not be as deadly as the Shredder, but he's just as crafty. Even with a broken leg he was able to hold his own."

"Really rough in a brawl too." Raph grumbled as he ran. "That chemical stuff is supposed to enhance him right? Last I checked he was holding his own in a fist fight with Spidey." A steroid capable of putting him on equal grounds with Spidey… and that was the kind of drug HARRY was drinking directly.

"There's no way he can do that without downsides." Donnie said as they finally made it to the building, climbing it. "That body's being pushed beyond its natural limits. How is he not blacking out or pulling his own muscles every second he's out there?"

"Either A, he's injecting himself with small doses over a long period of time, or B, he's gotten really good at hiding it." It wasn't like Peter knew Osborn's schedule twenty four seven… but that would explain the grouchy behavior and horrible disposition.

"So what are we doing when we catch him?" Mikey asked. "Lock him up in a basement somewhere? Hand him to the police?"

"The Goblin's a criminal open to the public. He's not going to end tonight until it's him in a prison cell." Spidey groweld. "After I break a bone or two." All this time…all this time scheming….plotting, and putting HARRY in danger. They finally reached the Penthouse, making their way inside, past the broken glider and watching as the criminal struggled with the mask.

"It's over Norman!" He said as they desperately tried to pull off that mask. "Give it up now and I won't have to send you to the cops in a cast-" The mask came off … as a familiar face…a face that Peter didn't expect to see at all… stopped Spidey in his tracks, a cold pit in his stomach. "Harry?"

"Ugh…what….what…" His best friend groggily tried to stand up. "What's…what's going…how did…" Harry groaned, grabbing his leg… like it was broken.

"Harry?" Leo asked quietly. "As in, your friend Harry?"

"I …" This couldn't be happening. This had to be some sort of mistake. Norman was-

"What's going on here?" The man himself stormed into the room … walking normally.

"You … you're walking on two legs." They weren't broken. The Goblin had a limp. This wasn't adding up. It didn't make sense.

"Of course I'm walking on two legs. What's going on here!?" He shouted, looking at the turtles, then at his son. "Harry, what's with that costume-" Norman froze, looking at the vial on the floor. "Where did you get this?"

"What… I… I…" Harry's eyes looked like they were barely able to take track.

"What … is that?" Mikey asked.

"Globulin Green. A performance enhancer. Highly experimental and dangerous." The man grabbed Harry by the collar. "What were you thinking!? What stupid, pathetic excuse do you-"

"YOU WANTED ME TO MAN UP!" Harry grabbed Norman by the arms, and flung him into the wall, cracking it. "You hated me, you hated how weak I was, so I took the first chance to build myself up!" Those eyes… those eyes were of a mad man… of a psychotic… Goblin." No more relying on flaking friends that never help, no more being a social outcast with no credibility, just good old effort from me!" He laughed … just like the Goblin himself … before he moaned, falling down as Spidey reached out to grab him. "I … I black out … I can't be …"

"How… why… this doesn't make any sense." Donnie said. "Why would this kid be the goblin? How would he know about people like the Big man?"

"I … had a deal with one of his associates." Norman admitted.

"Hammerhead… heh…" Harry cackled. "The man in the suit …"

"He must have heard me when I thought I was alone. I was threatened when I knew what I was getting into, I couldn't back out … he must have subconsciously been trying to protect me." Norman said. "It's… it's all my fault…."

"But … why would he attack you?" Raph asked. "He was trying to protect you, right?"

"Maybe… maybe I got ANGER issues…. Heheheheheh…. constantly being a disappointment will do that to you turtle man…" Harry cackled. This … Gwen said Harry needed help and Peter didn't listen.

"I'll take the fall." Norman said. "I'll tell the police it was me."

"What…" Mikey asked.

"It's my tech… my formula… I practically built the Goblin… it makes perfect since." The man looked down. "Please… I'll confess everything… if Harry is found out…the big man will chase him….he won't last a night in jail."

Peter looked down at Harry, still chuckling as his eyes seemed to flicker in consciousness. "... He needs his dad." He placed the boy down on the couch. "I'm not taking you away from him. If you want to atone, help him."

"And what about the goblin?" The man asked.

Spidey grabbed the mask, taking it in his hand. "... The Goblin disappeared without a trace." He marched to the exit. "Leaving a mystery that never gets solved."

"... Thank you." Norman said. "I can never repay you enough."

"... It's the least we can do." It's the least Peter could do. "Come one…we're leaving." Peter leapt out of the tower as he and the other ran across the roof as he silently wished for this damn night to end.

"Are you going to be okay Pete?" Donnie asked after a long minute.

"... I have no idea." He admitted as they made their way back to the lair.

Leo watched as Peter silently sat in the corner of the room, the sound of Space Heroes being the only thing filling the emptiness. None of them knew how to comfort their friend after all that. Even Raph didn't engage in his usual snark against the webhead. Mikey offhandedly mentioned something about 'going emo', which just got him a glare, but otherwise nothing from Peter.

After about an hour of the awkward tension, April walked into the lair. "Hey guys. You catch the Goblin?" She asked, as every turtle tensed.

"We got the mask …" Peter tossed the object to the ground. "With Harry Osborn under it."

"..." April looked like she was lost for words, as the rest of them were, before taking a minute to breathe and sit down. "...Fuck…Just….damn…"

"Yep …" Peter gave a sigh. "Gwen kept telling me he needed me, Harry kept getting mad I was flaking, and instead I was busy being Spider-Man … when my friend needed me, I punched him in the face and broke his leg."

"But he was also a mad man that threw explosives at everyone." Donnie tried to inject. "It's not your fault.

"You saw him." Peter said. "He was borderline dissociative with whatever the Green stuff was in his head. Harry wasn't even in control of his own actions …"

"Which again, means it's not your fault." Donnie repeated.

"Isn't it? Every time I wasn't there for Harry as a friend, it slightly broke him down more and more." Peter countered. "He was under so much pressure that he took a super drug and went crazy, crazy that was fueled by the lack of care I didn't give him."

"You're his friend, but you're not his keeper." April went next. "I've seen both sides, for the times you were there and the times you weren't. You were always helping someone out as Spider-man."

"But that's ALL I did!" He shouted. "I only do good as Spider-man! I always do bad Peter Parker! You guys keep saying I should take time off as Spidey to help Harry and I don't listen!" The kid groaned. "I … I failed him." He said. "I-I wasn't there for Harry, and he felt desperate and …"

"You can't focus on the past." Leo turned to the vigilante, to the guy that has done so much to make them better heroes… now was the time to pay it back. "Just focus on what we did tonight. We stopped the Goblin. Harry's going to get the help he needs. Norman's going to make sure of that."

"And with the Goblin gone, that means the foot has one less super powered maniac on his side." Raph cracked his knuckles. "Next encounter will be completely one-sided." Well if the Shredder himself showed up, that'd be accurate.

"And you did help Harry, just not in the way you thought you would." Mikey spoke up. "We unmasked the goblin, and he's now no longer going to be crazy and hurt people."

"And as in bad taste as it is, the Goblin arsenal gave me some great ideas for future inventions we can use." Everyone turned to Donnie with large glares. "To save people of course. The gobweb itself would be useful for fire hazards and extra shielding if we tinker with the web fluid formula enough."

"You didn't save Harry in the way you wanted, but you did save him." Leo reassured Peter. "And tomorrow, we're going to go out and save more people."

"Yeah … I guess your right." He sighed. "No idea how to break the news to Gwen though."

"I say we leave that to Norman." April said. "He's helping Harry right?"

"Yeah…who would've guessed that Norman was innocent…" Peter sighed, rubbing his head. "I just want something… anything to think about that isn't what happened tonight.

"Cool, spaceship." Mikey pointed to the screen with an 'interrupting' message. "They said they collected some kind of black mud on the bottom of it."

"Space mud?" Donnie asked, looking closer. "It's really rare for liquids to exist in space, the temperature and lack of atmosphere alone, coupled with no gravity, shouldn't allow …" He trailed off. "By darwin's beard, it's an alien!"

"...Pass." Leo, Raph, and April announced at the same time.

"Kind of had my fill of aliens with the Kraang." April muttered.

"Our list of buts to kick is full as it is." Raph shook his head.

"Do you think it's some kind of multicelular flora, or a predatory fauna?" … Well, at least Peter was distracted.